Page 98 of D for Dead

‘He seems genuinely cut up about her.’ She glanced at Sullivan, then Joel. ‘You think he’s for real?’

‘That’s what I was wondering,’ Joel agreed.

‘He would have to be one cold bastard to do that to his own girlfriend.’

‘Hell of a way to throw suspicion off of yourself.’

Joel looked at Sullivan; the man had a point.

‘Those tears were Oscar-worthy.’

‘What’s his alibi?’ Angell asked.

‘All we’ve managed to get out of him so far is that he was at work. We’ll have to see if his story checks out.’

‘Funny how he happened to be working so late on the night his girlfriend was killed,’ Sullivan muttered, clearly not buying it. ‘The whole thing seems too convenient.’

‘Except for Nadine,’ Angell pointed out. ‘She wasn’t expecting this.’

Joel glanced at the dead woman: the bluish grey tint to her skin, the blood congealed around her mouth and down the front of her negligee and her eyes still wide open in horror.

They were dealing with a sadistic son of a bitch and time was running out to catch him. He’d also shifted the time frame on them, suggesting another kill could happen imminently.

‘Okay, people, we have a lot of work to do. Sullivan, speak with the sheriff’s office in Melford and see what they have turned up. Angell, I want you with Amy. Go over everything from yesterday; make sure there is nothing we have missed.’

Joel caught the look Sullivan shot him and chose to ignore it. Now wasn’t the time for another argument about Amy Gallaty, and hanging around her apartment was not a good place for the man to be. Both detectives needed to be fully focused.

‘I’ll get Rivers back checking out motels and hotels for Gavin. We need to know what part he plays in all of this. Meanwhile, I’ll see what sense I can get out of Troy and check out this alibi of his.’ He glanced at both Angell and Sullivan. ‘You both got all that?’

Angell nodded, eager to get on, while Sullivan hesitated for a moment, seeming vaguely annoyed, before agreeing.

‘Sure.’

Joel’s temper spiked, annoyed to have to be spelling it out. ‘We’ve got two books left to catch this son of a bitch. The next on the list is about a cop killer. Since you decided to cosy up with the lady our killer has a hard-on for, you need to be watching your back.’

‘He’s right, Jake,’ Angell agreed.

‘I can look after myself,’ Sullivan scowled, eyes darkening.

Joel smiled thinly. ‘Good. Make sure you do.’

* * *

Amy didn’t take the news of Nadine’s murder well.

Rebecca knew she hadn’t liked the woman, had even been a little afraid of her, but that hadn’t been enough to want her dead and it was another death she now had to feel guilty about.

Vic Boaz had just taken over the day shift from Peterson and immediately returned to his coffee and Danish pastry after letting Rebecca in. She noted he was making himself at home in Amy’s apartment, feet up on the couch, television on.

He had been instructed to keep a close eye on Amy following her hypnotherapy session with Paul Shinnick. The doctor had been providing her with aftercare, but wanted the officers watching her to keep a close eye on her mental state. Both Boaz and Peterson had his number should they need it, but Rebecca suspected the only one who might make that call would be Peterson. As usual, Boaz’s number one priority was himself.

She understood Jake’s reservations about having him watch Amy. For some reason, Hickok had faith Boaz could be trusted to do the job. Either that or he wanted to piss off Jake. Rebecca wasn’t sure Boaz would have been her choice for the job, but having partnered him for two years, she would grudgingly admit he had always come through for her in the end, albeit usually by the skin of the teeth.

He let her talk with Amy, seeming glad to stay out of the way.

That was Boaz all over, anything for an easy life.

‘Do you want some more coffee?’ Amy offered, getting up from the table where they been sitting.